Inside Quantum Technology

The 2026 International Year of Post-Quantum

Brian Siegelwax
The 2026 International Year of Post-Quantum

Thanks to a post by Jack Krupansky, I had an epiphany that the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) should’ve been followed up by The 2026 International Year of Post-Quantum. Although the United Nations dropped the ball, IQT, coincidentally, is introducing PQC+IQT as a companion to Q+AI in 2026.

This week’s premium content:

In this edition:

Dr. Bob Sutor’s 1st Round Draft Pick!

The Quantum Dragon’s godfather is letting his followers know “whom [he] think[s] you should follow for the good stuff about quantum,” and The Quantum Dragon is thrilled to have been picked 2nd in the 1st round. Now, you and I can see that the list is alphabetized, but a word to the wise: never pee in a dragon’s proverbial cornflakes.

Happy birthday, happy birthday… happy birthday to _____!

Here’s a friendly reminder, early in 2026, to follow QuEra’s calendar. Keep track of important birthdays, discover/re-discover notable quotes, and learn fun factoids about neutral atom quantum computers that you can use to enlighten family and friends at birthdays, weddings, and bar mitzvahs. This link may require a LinkedIn account.

Classiq’s Amir Naveh vs ChatGPT

Man and machine were asked, “What are the top 5 things to know about quantum computing?” While we assume that the human attempted to answer the question from his point of view, we know ChatGPT did not. I asked it and got different answers. ChatGPT gives you any 5, not the top 5. This link may require a LinkedIn account.

The 4 Must-Attend Conferences of 2026

You definitely know 2 of them, but do you know the other 2?

So with all this activity, where can you look for insights without the hype?

Re-Introducing Brian Lenahan’s Quantum Strategy

Mr. Lenahan shared the recommendation that I already shared under “Dr. Bob Sutor’s 1st Round Draft Pick!” above, but I’m obviously thrilled about a re-shout out. A shout re-out? Whatever. Either way, it’s a reminder to re-recommend Mr. Lenahan’s Quantum’s Business Substack to get a different angle on the quantum industry.

Alice & Bob in the Studio

My side of the family asked for an updated family photo, so we went to a studio and wore our Alice & Bob uniforms. As you can see, my kids look exactly like their mother, and everyone couldn’t be happier to spend a day at the mall. I don’t have a link for you to buy Alice & Bob swag, but I’ve got this link for you to play with Boson-4.

How much has quantum computing progressed in the last 5 years?

Rajiv Shah dusted off an Economist article from 2020 and made an observation that matches my own: notwithstanding steady progress over the years, much has fundamentally not changed. Wanna argue about it in the comments? Check out his specific examples first.

PsiQuantum: From Silence to Hollywood

I’m so old, I remember when PsiQuantum was raising big bucks while quietly keeping to itself, but if I didn’t miscount, this 53-second clip has 54 shots with musical accompaniment. So, the company went from science to elaborate productions, still without giving us a quantum computer. This link may require a LinkedIn account.

Prof. Preskill, exactly how many quantum kids are there?

Prof. John Preskill had a virtual chat with the Quantum Kid, not to be confused with the Quantum Qid, Quantum Kidz, or any other quantum kids who may or may not be out there. When everyone keeps saying that the quantum industry is growing, I wonder if this is this what they’re referring to….

I see a red door and I want it painted black.

I don’t understand this podcast, but new episodes on Tuesdays purportedly “explain quantum physics through rock music and rock music through quantum physics.”

#78: “Open a secure channel.”

Quantum Corridor and Toshiba announced the demonstration of the first cross-state Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) over a live commercial metro fiber network, and I had questions about it. What’s the significance of crossing a state line? What was the real-world use case? What do they mean by “no quantum specialists required”? Why are they targeting QKD in the United States? So, we agreed to hop on a podcast together and get some answers.

PsiQuantum is late!

This isn’t funny at all, but it’s ironic considering my earlier comment about PsiQuantum and I found this article after that comment was already in place. While the company is busy making elaborate productions about its technology and its facilities, it is reportedly years behind schedule in both Brisbane and Chicago.

Source-led vs. emergent news in quantum tech

The Quantum Dragon insisted that I add this link because he saw his name in this edition of Dr. Aggie Branczyk’s Quantum Salon. I pleaded with him that it’s also a very interesting read, but once his ego is stroked he doesn’t care about anything else. For what it’s worth, I quietly took a few mental notes.

A Short Survey

I don’t know who “we” is, other than “we” includes Mark McGuire. That said, for those who like to participate in surveys, “we” is conducting a short survey.

Quantum Readiness: A Technical Guide for Engineers and Security Professionals

Speaking of Mark McGuire, I don’t remember if I’ve shared his book or not. It’s a quick, introductory read, and it’s a free download.

When someone tries to show you a QML paper….

I found this meme in the BlueQubit Discord. All I can say is that a picture is worth a thousand words. This link may require a Discord account.

Filed under: Quantum Computing • Technology Policy • Industry Analysis

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